Osteria Tufo in Islington

Aunque este es un restaurante animado, siento que se han vuelto demasiado codiciosos. Han amontonado demasiadas mesas en un espacio pequeño y, por lo tanto, el huésped no está teniendo realmente una gran experiencia! Las mesas cercanas a la puerta lo encuentran demasiado frío ya que el personal está constantemente abriendo la puerta para servir a los huéspedes externos y en el invierno entra el frío. Los huéspedes cerca de la puerta tenían que usar sus abrigos para mantenerse calientes. La comida estaba bien, pero no tan buena que ignoraría las desventajas mencionadas anteriormente. El personal y el servicio es muy agradable, pero no volveré a ir allí en el invierno.

Genuine tastes of Italy. The atmosphere was friendly and noise levels such that one could have a nice conversation over dinner.

I've been this to this nice and cozy restaurant very close to Finsbury park station. I wasn't quite sure when I would arrive so I reserved a table and I was super glad I did it. In the evening close to 7 just after we arrived, 15 minutes later the place was full. When I called the restaurant to reserve a table the person who took the call said please do not rush and they held the place for us. Once we were there, they ensured we were all right, the drive was safe and walked us to our table. A lady gave us the Menu card-which had all the options for drinks including non alcoholic ones and food- at first I was a bit worried because I am a vegetarian and I was not sure if I would find many options in there but to my surprise there was a variety to choose it was just the way they were laid out it was all difficult for me to read. Again it was just me and nothing to do with the menu. We ordered drinks, I asked the lady what are the best vegetarian options so she immediately gave us few options, and we all decided to go ahead with her suggestion. They all arrived very very quickly -4 mains, 3 starters, 4 drinks. I should have taken the pictures to share them, the food was delicious. Asked kids if they wanted to see the pudding menu -again a lot to chose from- I went for the vegan chocolate cake -that was the most delicious of all , super tasty. We also order Tiramisu, Gelato. Some of the options had nuts in them, so please be careful and ask the staff . One of the staff who brought us food was singing so nicely, and few other guests joined him- felt soo nice .What a pleasant evening for a Sunday just to start your week fresh next day.

C est un restaurant très accueillant. Les plats sont excellents et le vin italien de qualité. La patronne est Italienne et parle très bien français. A recommander

Excellent Italian restaurant. The owner speaks French very well. To recommend

The staff were very friendly and accommodating, the male server in particular, he sat us down without a booking. The food was lovely, served quickly and the atmosphere was very chilled.

Experience Italy while in London. Fresh pasta, good wine... What isn't there to like?

Mi esposa y yo almorzamos el domingo aquí. Fuimos por una oferta de menú especial que solo está disponible los domingos. Entrada, plato principal y copa de vino por £ 25. 90 . Buena relación calidad-precio. Empecé con bruschetta y luego tuve Tortiglioni alla Genovese Napoletana para principal. El Tortiglioni era excelente - una buena mezcla de pasta y carne de res. Muy bien hecho. Volveremos.

Came here for my mums birthday and we had such an amazing time. The food is so good and the staff were really kind and we had a lot of laughs with them. The ambience is really nice and the vibes and food of the restaurant makes it feel very intimate. They made my mums birthday feel very special! A must visit!

I had an amazing dining experience at Osteria Tufo! The cozy atmosphere made it the perfect spot for a relaxing meal. Special shout out to Sara, who provided outstanding service attentive, friendly, and made our evening extra special. Highly recommend this place!

The perfect little neighborhood Italian restaurant, welcoming, simple and very good. All the dishes are obviously homemade, and the flavors are just right. The menu changes regularly. This is one of the best bruschetta I've ever had. Just goes to show, simple things...

The staff were very friendly. The wine we had was delicious.

Decent Italian with good starters and pasta but not exceptional. Nice atmosphere, good service,fun opera singing by the owner!

I jogged past everal times, and it piqued my curiosity. It looked nice, but it was tucked away on a back street off Finsbury Park. Now, that either means they're crazy or it's good. Months later, it’s my partner's birthday, and our daughter is a bit older. We can finally go out. We like off-the-beaten-track, local spots, genuine ones. Did it disappoint? Nope, we really enjoyed the food—awesome! :) Pasta that doesn't bloat the belly, but delights it.

Best Italian restaurant in London. Awesome food, great staff, everything superb!

The best Italian restaurant in London. Very nice customer service and the food is insane delicious, I can’t wait to go back to the egg plant a parmigiana.

Delicious delicious delicious delicious, and very welcoming staff, and great at singing! We're both vegetarian and the food was great. Remember to ask for on-the-day vegan options which have always been fab

One of my favourite restaurants - the food is excellent and the staff are so friendly! Highly recommend, top tier neighbourhood spot

This is the most friendly, warm and authentic Italian cuisine in north London. I never remember leaving without a smile on my face and a hint of regret about how much I ate. Sunday lunch is also an amazing experience. Please go and enjoy. Jamie 🍍

Such a lovely evening out. Food was amazing and the staff were so kind and thoughtful! Ate so much but didn't feel sicky at all! :)

Lovely little Italian, food is awesome and great service too!

Cozy restaurant serving Italian food. Had a waiter singing opera style which created a nice atmosphere. Edit: went back a couple more times and the food quality was not consistent. The waitress seemed impatient and not very friendly. Will not go back :/

We have been a few times, menu is simple but very good Italian food, good service and good wine to drink. Lovely outside and a bit of opera singing to go with it from the team.

Delicious and authentic northern Italian cuisine. A really nice gem in north London

Bonito restaurante local. Muy popular. Servicio amable rápido y buena calidad de comida casera cocinada. ¿Qué no te gusta?

Unexpected, a little gem touching distance from Finsbury Park station.

Un restaurante favorito en Finsbury Park. Paola cuando está allí es un tour de force pero todo el equipo detrás de ella son maravillosos. La comida que sale de la cocina es cosa de sueños y te vas sintiéndote muy contenta y repleta. El Primitivo es delicioso. El Tiramasu vale cada caloría y se le da una experiencia maravillosa.

We have been several times over the past few years and can confidently say that Osteria Tufo is one of the best Italian restaurants in London. The food is excellent - the parmigiana di melanzane is our favourite. Added to the excellent food is the fact that it's very much a neighbourhood gem - understated, warm & welcoming, and perfect for just about any occasion. In short, a truly wonderful restaurant that ticks every box.

Delicious Italian food!! We got the eggplant parmigiana, pesto pasta, butter and sage ravioli, rigatoni in tomato sauce, ravioli in tomato sauce, and bruschetta with mozzarella. Everything is so light in comparison with American Italian food and it tastes like the pasta is made fresh. Samee and Josh, our waiters, were excellent and very attentive. For dessert, we got the Sicilian Cannoli and Homemade Tiramisu and they were quite delicious and the perfect way to close the meal!!

We love this restaurant for many reasons - the great food, the wonderful staff, the live singing (at times) and the atmosphere. We are regulars (despite living in a different part of London) and have been since it opened. Home from home with mouth watering food with a Napoli twist.

The best veal chop ive ever tasted

Amazing food! Had the ragu pasta and it was delicious. Great atmosphere and super friendly staff. Will be back!

We love this place, stunning Italian food in Finsbury Park. Really enjoyed my veal dish, but the pastas also a must.

Lovely restaurant! Small but very warm and friendly.. You can literally breathe the Italian style all over. Staff is very professional and able to advise you about every dishes they serve. Particular thanks to Ilaria, so nice and friendly, always present and ready to give you the best experience possible! Food is so fresh and tasty! I’ll be back very soon!

Good Italian. A good meal with nice wine. The waiter spontaneously started singing. Which actually improved the atmosphere.

Friendly service and traditional food.

This restaurant was very disappointing. We went on bank holiday monday and it was busy so our expectations were high. The two male waiters were very unwelcoming, we had to keep asking them to serve us, it was as if we were an 'inconvenience' rather than a customer. The food was very average. Nothing out of the ordinary. Im surprised they get such good reviews on Google as I wouldn't go back despite it being a local restaurant.

Delicious place and meal!!:) Maybe a little pricey but very tasty and lovely evening!

Recommended by an Italian couple who has lived in London for many years, along with the Veneti restaurant on Cavandish St. Very pleasant atmosphere, quite good dishes, interesting wines and desserts. For our tastes, expensive, about 65 pounds per person, but I don't regret it

Had a delicious family meal, in the sun. All the food is fresh, cooked expertly and the wine is also always very nice. The team are welcoming and proficient!

Very poor customer service average and overpriced food

Fantastic little place in Finsbury Park. Authentic Italian food mostly from the South of Italy. it shouldn’t matter but I think it adds to the character. The staff and the owner are friendly and warm. The selection of wines is very good and I was under the impression that they change the menu often depending on the seasonality of the ingredients, another excellent sign. We will definitely be back 🙂!

What a gorgeous find! Delicious Italian food (I'm Italian, I don't say this lightly), lovely terrace and the owner was really nice. The polpette sauce was amazing and same for the pasta. Absolutely recommended!

Have wanted to try this restaurant for a while now, and the food and service was amazing! Could not recommend enough! Hidden gem.

Food was delicious again, the ravioli and rigatoni were fab as was the nduja on toast! Can be hard to get the attention of the waiters but there's a nice cosy feel

Love this place for a date night especially. Food is always on point and different to your normal Italian restaurants. The owners are lovely as well.

5 minutes from our hotel at Finsbury Park in London. Warm wonderful May evening, some waiting time on the street, got a table outside. Not all dishes were available but vegetarian option was presented (mint, spinach, cheese), my ragu very nice, a little more salt would have been perfect. Nice staff, great wine, nothing to complain about

5 minuter från vårt hotell vid Finsbury Park i london. Ljummen underbar majkväll, viss väntetid på gatan, fick bord ute. Alla rätter fanns inte att tillgå men vegetariskt alternativ presenterades (mynta, spenat, ost), min ragu väldigt trevlig, lite salt till hade varit pricken över i. Trevlig personal, fantastiskt vin, inget att klaga på

Excellent food and service at good prices. Attractive corner restaurant.

One of the worst tiramisu I have ever had. Charged service charge for bringing over a stale tasting tiramisu as though it was sitting there for days, probably made days before. Maybe i should have went and picked it up myself because paying extra for you to walk over for 5 seconds to pick up an item? They also can’t speak English properly.

Hidden gem in Finsbury Park! We stumbled across this on our walk today and it literally felt like we were transported to Italy. It was so authentic and hands down one of the nicest pasta dishes I've ever eating. The staff were really lovely & accommodating to us and our little doggo! Can't wait to come back.

Great gem of a local restaurant

What an amazing find. Beautiful restaurant, delicious food, amazing service...love this place and looking forward to coming back. We came with our toddler, and not only did the staff make sure she was catered for, they were lovely and ensured that we / she enjoyed her meal and made us feel so welcome. Can not recommend this place enough. Thankyou!

Very good and welcoming afterward you have to like the pasta mix

Nice hidden gem. Great food, especially fish. Very delicious. Pasta was very tasty and fresh

Great food and great friendly service

Great food, really nice service and a pleasant 'taste of Italy' in a small but cosy restaurant.

Outstanding food across the board, great wines, wonderfully friendly service, relaxed atmosphere - will definitely be back.

The most beautiful fresh pasta I have ever tasted. I would say this is the third time in my life that if anyone asked if they could try some I would have said no! Wanted it all to myself! It was a safe and pumpkin stuffed pasta and just sublime

We love this restaurant which is our go-to for a pre-theatre dinner (it's very close to the Park Theatre). Osteria Tuffo is everything a neighbourhood Italian restaurant should be. Fantastic, home-cooked food, good sized portions, and a wonderfully warm service with a smile. There's even a singing waiter - what more could you ask for? We'd highly recommend.

A great little Italian. A place where you know you're not in a chain restaurant. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it and will definitely be back.

Very good pasta and brilliant nduja toast. The Tiramisu wasn’t boozy enough though, with only a very mild coffee taste; having said that, we ate it all. I dropped one star as we found the singing waiter very irritating. The place is very small so when it’s full the acoustics are quite loud. There was nice, subtle background music playing but every 20 mins or so the waiter would loudly sing opera for about a minute. Not long enough for a whole song but long enough for us to have to pause our conversation until he stopped. In our eyes, distracting and unnecessary.

Ticket all the boxes...service..by owner .warm and friendly... Acessabitly .. Ramp for wheel chair users.. very appreciated not be excluded..** Great place ..

Visited Osteria Tufo on Saturday 22 February for pre match dinner with my wife. This followed a recommendation from a friend who lives locally though we were advised to book for an evening when Paola was in. Have to say the food was delicious, the staff were lovely and the ambience lively. It was clearly a very busy evening made somewhat more chaotic due to the match being on. We actually made our booking the previous evening and in the event arrived early when the restaurant was virtually empty. However despite the generally friendly hospitality we were somewhat surprised and taken aback when we were asked if we would mind taking our dessert outside (if we wanted to order one) so that Paola could accommodate one of her regulars (who hadn’t actually booked in advance). Unfortunately, this had the effect of not only making us feel we needed to rush through dessert (so as to avoid being condemned to the exterior terrace on a damp and chilly February evening) but moreover that we were not welcome. In the end, due to a cancellation, we were not asked to move but by then our experience had been somewhat soured . Shame, because the food really is very good. Paola, I’m sure you didn’t mean to make us feel unwelcome however as first time diners in your restaurant paying upwards of £100 for dinner for two, we were made to feel as somewhat inferior and less valued than your regulars. I have always been taught to operate on the basis that your most important customer is the one standing in front of you.

The food is absolutely sensational and the staff are so lovely. They clearly care deeply about their food and customers. A 10/10 experience

Good place for dinner. The space is somewhat reduced. Good attention

Great food, great wine, great service, really enjoyable - beautiful fresh pasta dishes, and songs from the kitchen. Came here with my son and had a wonderful evening.

Lovely, welcoming, local with a warm, relaxed atmosphere and decor, friendly staff and delicious food made with quality ingredients. They managed to accommodate us on a busy Saturday night and we had a really enjoyable meal: burrata to start, pappardelle with pork sausage ragu, truffle oil & grana padano, homemade ravioli with crab meat and ricotta in a prawns, capers and white wine sauce, and some grilled broccoli - all washed down with a delicious Falanghina. Thank you! Always a treat! 😊

A fantastic restaurant near the Emirates Stadium for anyone looking for a great pre match dining option. The food, wine and service is top drawer. The interior is very basic and the tables are close however this resulted in us having great fun with a couple sitting next to us. ……..and Arsenal won too

Outstanding food to warm yer heart. Honestly, this place deserves much wider recognition. Forget yer Japanese Italian fusion of Hoxton.

Beautiful small place with huge character Unbelievably good food and fantastic service. Pistachio gelato to die for! I'll definitely be back, I'd eat there every day if only I lived in London

Good service but the food was disappointing

Nice atmosphere and lovely staff, but food was super disappointing. The pasta really lacked flavour and we expected a lot better based on the reviews.

Came for our New Year’s Eve meal. I started with the aubergine starter which was layered with cheese and in a rich tomato sauce, it was lovely and authentic. I had the lobster ravioli as my main, which was pricey at £29 but delicious. It was rich and creamy whilst also somehow managing to be delicate. My partner had the lamb ragu tagliatelle which was utterly gorgeous. The portion sizes were more than generous and filled us up. We both had the panettone tiramisu to finish but unfortunately it didn’t work. Despite adoring both parts separately, their pairing made for something stodgy and frankly unenjoyable. That was a shame following the oh-so-delicious ravioli. Unfortunately Tufo was let down by the service, which was far less than average - a shame given that every customer was there for a special occasion. It felt like we weren’t wanted. Perhaps they had had long days. It was New Year and they didn’t want to be working (I understand that!), so I will try again. I live nearby and the food was gorgeous, but I hate to feel not wanted at a neighbourhood favourite so just one more shot!

Lovely restaurant with very attentive and pleasant staff. The food was clearly made with love and care. The menu has enough choices to please everyone. Worth taking the time to make a reservation and treat yourself and friends.

Very nice Italian restaurant, good service food and wine 🍷

Delicious food and excellent service at this quaint romantic spot

The Tiramisu I had here was delicious and I loved the atmosphere. Haven't tried any of the other dishes, but I'd go back to do so.

Great Italian restaurant but make sure you ask for the singing waiter whose amazing voice will bring even more joy to your meal.

Food was overpriced as my pasta hard basically raw, the slowest service ever and wasn't even busy with 12.5% service charge doesn't seem fair. The waiters unfortunately didn't deliver good service and felt unwelcome.

We have been coming for many years, each time the food is spectacular, with a wonderful greeting from Paola and her brilliant team. When you come to the restaurant do not think normal Italian. be ready to be taken on a culinary trip of a life time. Caponata is fantastic, then Seafood Ravioli and finally Tiramsui. Paola's favourite red wine helps the whole evening go with a swing.

Absolutely delicious and authentic pasta dishes. Relaxed ambiance and unpressured service. Space to eat and chat. Just lovely.

The food was great, everything very tasty

Consistently excellent over the years. Always a great pleasure to come to this delightful family restaurant (despite the fact they got our order wrong!) Highly recommended.

Loved the yummy food. Friendly staff. Cozy ambience.

First of all a big "pollice alto" for the caring, respectful, kind and friendly staff! the atmosphere is very warm, the space is not too big, not too small and we loved the bright big windows. The waiting time was just perfect and the food was good for reasonable prices. After our delicious caponata and polpette on a freshly tasty tomato sauce, we had "Orecchiette alle cime di rapa" (excellent for taste and pasta texture) and "Tortiglioni al ragu' di Manzo"..wait! here we would have added just a pinch of extra salt on the pasta boiling water and served them more just a bit more "al dente". Cannoli siciliani's ricotta was ok, fresh with the right amount of dark chocolate flakes. And we were amazed to find a very good selection of wines!

Great service and excellent food. Will definitely return.

5.45pm pre Park Theatre dinner. Three Tufo virgins and me. Shared a bruschetta and an aubergine mezzo. Three pastas, one veggie, one crab, one slow cooked beef & I had the purpose in warm hummus. A bottle of Pinot rose and a glass of red. All divine & very fresh. Service, staff, restaurant, singing (!), warmth, atmosphere... all sublime. Sorry, no photos ... too busy eating & talking !!!! And a very reasonable bill. If I lived within walking distance, Tufo would be my neighbourhood restaurant!

Food is delicious, and prices are very reasonable for London / Islington. The staff are also very attentive, and friendly. My only criticism, which I think is justified by keeping prices down, is the table density within the restaurant. Some people might not be too comfortable with being seated so close to other patrons.

Amazing place where to spend a beautiful night. Great customer service and the food was excellent 😍 I will definitely come back ❤️

Fantastic food and super friendly service

Superb local Italian restaurant with authentic, home-made Italian food. Went out for a meal as a family of 5 adults and loved it. One of our group has lived in Italy and rated the food up there with the best Italian she has tasted. Excellent service by Paola and her team including our singing waiter! Will definitely visit again.

Always good food. Friendly efficient staff

Really friendly staff and a lovely outside area. Delicious food!

The service and the food was great the staff and the owner was super friendly and kind

Excellent food. As good as anything I've had in Italy. They always keep the same high standards.

Wonderful Italian food - best melanzana parmigiana I’ve ever had, & pasta dishes rich & generous. Paola & Josh are just the best hosts. Great atmosphere & a beautiful room, it really is one of my favourite nights out.

Very nice food and good service...I will come back soon

Nice place and staff. Ordinary food - nothing to write home about.

First and last visit to this restaurant. Seen it whilst walking by numerous times and was excited to finally go there. No tables outside - fair enough as we didnt book so took our seats inside. The table was very small for 4 people and lots of minding elbows whilst reviewing the menus. The main guy (assumption) appears to believe that bellowing opaque phrases is actually singing and when you mix this with an echoey dining room its deafening. Extrememly annoying as it continued all throughout the evening and reminded me of a train blowing its horn in a tunnel. The food on the menu sounded delicious however the reality was way off. The monkfish paccheri was totally overcooked, asparagus so obliterated it looked like mushy peas and the "monkfish" was flaky leading us to believe it wasnt actually monkfish at all. The whole bream had a funky smell to it and the accompanying black rice and courgette was very underwhelming. I dont normally leave bad reviews as often its subjective however given this place has a 4.6 review i felt compelled to give an honest appraisal. I absolutely would not recommend it to anyone.